


Moving In

by ArcticLucie



Series: Needed/Wanted [2]
Category: The Walking Dead (TV)
Genre: Daaric, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, First Kiss, Friendship, M/M, Mutual Pining, POV Multiple, Polyamory Negotiations, Pre-Slash
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-21
Updated: 2015-05-03
Packaged: 2018-03-18 22:11:54
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 15,619
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3585888
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ArcticLucie/pseuds/ArcticLucie
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Daryl moves in with Aaron and Eric after his relationship with Rick falls apart.</p><p>This is a Daaric fic. It covers their first meetings to first kisses and the evolution of Daaric in between from all three of the guys' perspectives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Run

**Author's Note:**

> I recommend reading [Used](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3521651) first, but it's not necessary and does contain spoilers for the rest of the series. 
> 
> I have this fic planned for four chapters, but it might be longer. I was going to wait until I was finished to post because I need another open fic like I need a hole in my head, but we need more Daaric around here! 
> 
> Enjoy!

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Daryl plans to leave Alexandria for good when him and Aaron go on their first scouting run.

**Daryl**

Daryl had no idea what to expect on his first run with Aaron. His group had been in the ASZ for about a month, but he hadn't been able to completely assemble the bike Aaron had in his garage. He needed a few more parts that they were going to keep their eye out for. Instead, they were going to take another car they had on hand. 

He had packed a bag with all of his clothes, mostly out of habit—he didn't have much—but also because his last fight with Rick had him itching to run as soon as the gates opened up and never look back. Once again, Rick had denied his possessive staring at Jessie, and he was just fucking done with all of it.

Him, Carol, Michonne, Sasha, Noah, plus Rick and the kids were in the first house while the rest of the crew had moved into the second house they were allotted. He had been sleeping on the couch the last few nights and was sure to slip out of the house before Rick or anyone else woke up. 

Aaron wanted to leave at first light, which was fine by him because he wanted to leave before he had to face anyone. Specifically before Carol could get a good look at him and try to talk him out of whatever his shifty expression would be sure to give away. He was never good at goodbyes, and if he wasn't coming back, he didn't want their longing faces etched in his memory.

He lit up a cigarette as soon as he shut the door behind him, careful not to make a sound, and made his way to Aaron and Eric's. He had grown quite attached to them in the few weeks he had been in Alexandria. He attributed the start of it to the day he shared with Aaron in the forest on their unsuccessful mission to capture Buttons the horse. 

There was a pull there that he felt immediately, something that filled him with shame just as much as it did with giddiness, and he was smart enough to know that it was attraction. He knew it was a little hypocritical to be pissed at Rick for feeling the same way about Jessie, but while he still wanted Rick and wanted to work on things, it was painfully obvious that Rick was done with him.

There was nothing he could do to change any of it except remove himself from the pain it caused him. He wanted to jump right on that horse and ride off into the sunset saying 'to hell with them all' as the two of them took their chances in the wild.

As soon as Aaron had appeared from the bushes, he had a hunch the man had came out specifically looking for him even though he said he was just hunting rabbits. Daryl didn't call him out on it because, well he wasn't quite sure why, but he knew it was the right call the further along they traveled in their mostly companionable silence. 

He felt safe with Aaron. The man had been right when he said he knew the difference between a good person and a bad person, and he knew Aaron was good people. Maybe that's why he agreed to have dinner with him and Eric instead of going into the weird party with the Stepford drowns he watched from the window. 

His head was still reeling from watching Rick press his lips to Jessie's cheek, but he wasn't exactly surprised by that. What got to him was the look of sheer want in his eyes that was never there when Rick looked at him, not even in the beginning. That night was the closest he'd actually come to running. If it hadn't been for Aaron's invitation, he would've done it, too. There was no doubt in his mind about that.

Dinner with Aaron and Eric had felt right. Even his loner brain was quite at peace as he slurped up his spaghetti. He knew both of them were much more refined and polished than him, but neither called him out on it or looked at him like he was an uncivilized heathen like some of the others around the settlement had. Hell, how some of his own group had looked at him in the beginning.

Eric was a lot more talkative than Aaron. Some of that was probably because he had been locked inside alone while he recovered from his ankle injury, but Daryl didn't find himself minding too much about that. The rest was probably the novelty of him, someone new to talk to and to get up to speed on the things that went on in their small paradise.

Hence the damn pasta maker he kept going on about. Daryl wouldn't've minded that either if it hadn't been for the implication that he'd be out there where he could actually keep an eye out for one. He was confused about it more than anything. Then Aaron offered him the scouting job. 

The motorcycle just clenched it; it was just meant to be.

Aaron was much more reserved, a little more like Daryl in that he liked to observe and hold something back until he was sure the information needed to be revealed. He was better at words than Daryl, but who wasn't? 

He could admit that he was attracted to him immediately. As soon as the man walked in that barn, clean and pristine, like an angel or something sent to take them to his sanctuary, Daryl was drawn to him. Unlike Rick, he knew he was a good person instantly. Daryl didn't exactly think he had a type, but if he did, it'd probably be Aaron, which was a bit ironic considering how rough around the edges he was, like the jagged pieces of a broken beer bottle. Aaron, on the other hand, was smooth like handblown, polished glass. Must've been that thing about opposites.

Daryl wasn't the kind of man that would act on something like lust, though, not when they were both paired up, albeit only one of them happily. He was certainly not the kind of man that would break up a good thing, especially if it meant destroying the only two people who had cared to get to know him in all of Alexandria.

The more time he spent with the two of them, the more unhappy he became with Rick. When Rick looked at him, he wasn't sure he even saw him anymore. Relationships sometimes died, that was just reality, and maybe it was best to shoot a bolt through the brain of theirs. 

Rick was never going to want him, not the way he wanted Jessie, and that was okay. Maybe not okay considering she was married, but understandable since he was probably doing the same thing to Aaron: coveting, burning for, _wanting_. The point was that it wasn't acceptable anymore. 

He spent too much of his miserable life unhappy with people who shit all over him and he just didn't have the energy to do it anymore. Not after everything they'd been through, and not when life was so much more precious than it had ever been. 

The hardest part would be leaving the kids behind, Judith in particular. He loved her like she was his own. But she wasn't and he'd have to mourn the loss of her just like the rest of his relationships. She was young enough that she wouldn't even miss him that much. He hoped.

The lights were on when he approached Aaron and Eric's, but he hung around on the porch and finished sucking down his nicotine in an attempt to calm his nerves. Every time he came over, he was even more nervous than the last. Lately, that had been every day. He blamed his visits on the bike, but he just liked being near the couple.

In the last week, he'd spent just as many nights on their couch as he had on the one at Rick's. Theirs was more comfortable, and he knew that was because he felt more at ease with them. That was something major for someone like him to feel in the house of people he had only known a month.

He almost jumped when the front door creaked open. Quickly putting out his cigarette, he turned to see Eric smiling at him with a heavy blanket draped over his shoulders, eyes bright and inviting like always. "Hey you! Come on in," he said as he moved to the side to let him by. "I thought I saw someone out here, Aaron didn't believe me."

"I never said that. Just told you to open the door if you did," Aaron explained as he stood with a hip leaning against the island, a cup of steaming coffee curled in both hands. "Hey Daryl. Ready for your first trip out?"

"Tired of been cooped up in here," Daryl replied as he shrugged.

"I already packed the car with some supplies. I don't think we'll be gone too long with it being your first time out. Not that I don't trust that you'll be great, it's just that it may take a few trips for us to get to know each other and work out any kinks. I don't want to push it."

"Don't be ridiculous, hon. You two have been out hunting enough in the past couple of weeks that you should be just fine. Daryl, would you like some coffee before you go? Have you eaten? I can make you something," Eric offered.

"Nah, I'm good. Already ate," Daryl lied. He wasn't completely comfortable with Eric fussing over him. The man was always checking to make sure he didn't need another refill or second helpings or extra pillows or blankets. Or company. He certainly wasn't used to being taken care of. That was probably because he never was.

"We should probably get going. Sure you don't want a cup for the road?" Aaron asked as he poured the contents of his cup into a travel mug.

Daryl shrugged and gave a noncommittal grunt, but Eric had already had a mug filled for him, black like he took it. The man was very efficient for someone hobbling around on one leg. He handed the mug to Aaron and leaned in to give him a heated kiss goodbye, his arms wrapping tightly around his partner's neck. 

Daryl averted his eyes as he attempted to choke down the feelings of jealous and longing bubbling up in his chest. He wanted someone to kiss him like that, wanted someone to miss him that much when he was about to walk out the door into danger. Wanted to kiss Aaron like that.

"Sorry," Aaron said shyly as he led the way for them out the door.

"Bring him back to me safe," Eric said sternly as he leaned against the door frame to watch them off. Daryl wanted someone saying that about him.

"I will," Daryl replied before following Aaron down the porch steps to the car parked on the curb. He threw his bag in the back and settled into the passenger seat. He stared at Eric through the window as he gnawed on his thumb nervously. He just made a promise that he might not be able to keep.

"Nervous?" Aaron asked as he flashed him a sympathetic smile. Daryl looked over at him blankly. "You chew your thumb when you're nervous," he observed as he started the car. 

"Habit," Daryl shrugged as he pulled his thumb away. That was replaced with his knee bouncing. He knew Aaron noticed that too, but thankfully he didn't say anything; he only smirked to himself as he pulled the car away from the curb.

They drove for awhile in silence. Daryl was glad Aaron didn't feel the need to make small talk because that was something Dixon's weren't exactly good at; he was no exception. They spent the day driving along various interstates before finding a small strip mall to search and camp for the night.

In the second store they scavenged, they came across the highly sought after pasta maker. As soon as Aaron held it up, they both laughed at the memory of their first meal together. 

"Wonder if we should get one for Eric?" Aaron thought out loud over dinner that consisted of some rabbit jerky Eric had made and canned peaches. 

"He does seem like he likes ta cook," Daryl replied thinking back to the pb&j's they had for lunch. Eric made them and left a little note inside his that said 'Be safe!' with a smiley face. Oddly, it filled him with warmth all day. 

"We both do, but he's much better at it," Aaron said, smiling proudly. "We should probably let him test out this one and see how he likes it first. We can always come back the next time we're out."

"Mhmm," Daryl nodded.

"Can I ask you something?" Aaron asked, hesitation clear in his tone. "Something...personal."

Daryl turned to stare him down, his eyes narrowing in apprehension in the light from the dim battery powered lamp. 

"If you don't want to talk about it, you don't have to. I respect you, but I want you to know that Eric and I consider you a friend. You've been spending quite a few nights at our place the past week or so, and don't get me wrong, we love having you," he paused. When Daryl didn't say anything, his expression only hardening, he continued, "But we were wondering how things are going with you and Rick."

Daryl scoffed and looked away. 

How the hell was he supposed to answer that? _I want him but he doesn't want me?_ Was he supposed to tell him that Rick wanted someone else, someone married that he was probably going to find a way to take? Was he supposed to admit that he was waiting for the right time to give Aaron the slip and leave them all behind? Or that he didn't think Rick would miss him, not as long as they were behind the walls?

"I really don't mean to pry. I gather you're a pretty private person, and I'm not asking for details...I guess what I'm trying to say is that if you need a place to stay while you work things out, or if you need to stay with us permanently or until other arrangements can be made, than there is a place for you with us, with Eric and me. That's what I'm offering."

Daryl turned back to scowl at him. Was that really a good idea? For him to go from the roof of one man who didn't want him to another? At least Aaron and Eric weren't growing cold and distant to him. In fact, the opposite was happening. He was learning things about them just like they were learning about him. 

Aaron knew he chewed his thumb because of nerves. When Aaron was nervous he hid behind his quirky wit, even though he couldn't hide it in his eyes, while Eric tended to ramble about nothing, which was distinctly different from his usual verbose nature. Daryl wondered how many people could tell the difference. Most likely only him and Aaron.

He knew the pair could communicate without words. That was to be expected considering how long they had been together, but they always did it with a kindness in their eyes that him and Rick seemed to have lost somewhere between the front gate of Alexandria and their 'welcome' party. He missed that; he was envious of that; he was envious of a lot of things.

He knew Aaron took his coffee black and Eric with more sugar than coffee, creamer if they were lucky; Eric was the early riser while Aaron was not a morning person in the slightest; Aaron preferred classical music, both instrumental and rock, Eric liked Miles Davis and Coltrane; Aaron was the better pouter, but that could've been his full lips, and Eric's smile could rival the sun.

"Our second bedroom is yours...if you want it," Aaron clarified after a few minutes in which Daryl hadn't acknowledged him because of his inner musings.

"Why?" Daryl barked skeptically.

"We like having you around, both of us. We want you around. When we're out here, my life is in your hands as much as yours is in mine. Eric and I both trust you with that responsibility, and if we can help you out, offer you a safe place to be when we're back behind those walls, then we want to because I know that you'd do the same if the rolls were reversed."

"Well, I ain't stayin' in a purple room," he protested. He just hated purple. The demand sounded silly in his ears considering that five weeks ago he was literally dying of hunger and starvation. 

"Saw the paint store down the road, huh?" Aaron chuckled. "I think it's periwinkle, not that I know the difference."

Daryl smirked. "Get some sleep. I'll take first watch," he volunteered.

"I mean it, Daryl. You're welcome to move in or crash at ours whenever you want to. No questions asked. But if you ever need someone to talk to, we're here for that too. So just think about it, okay?"

Daryl nodded curtly which earned him a gentle smile from those soft pink lips he had trouble looking away from. Aaron turned over and went to sleep while Daryl spent most of the night going over pros and cons of moving in with them in his head. Just the phrase 'moving in' did weird things to his insides.

The last place he 'moved into' was the prison. He had fond memories, but in the end, that didn't work out too well. In the house in the ASZ, he didn't move in, he just existed there. But those words coming from Aaron's lips were laced with something hopeful, something concrete and warm that he kind of liked the sound of.

Rick's house—he couldn't even trick himself into considering it his house—was like walking around on a minefield, on eggshells, and he was growing to hate every minute he spent there. The kids and Carol, and to a lesser extent, Michonne, were the only things keeping him tied there, and he didn't think that was fair to them, being an anchor to his troubles. He didn't want to wake up one day resenting them for it.

Deep down he knew that things with Rick would only get worse, no point dragging out the misery. _Cut the strings and get the hell out of there,_ he kept telling himself. That had been his intended plan, to run away, before Aaron offered him a bed. 

But he could hardly stand to be in the same room as them when Eric kissed him before they left that morning. They weren't overly affectionate and he wondered if they were just being polite around him, like they were with the rest of the wary people of the ASZ. 

What the hell would he do if he walked in on them doing something more than just kissing? 

He'd probably die of embarrassment and jealousy.

This whole thing, Alexandria, everything, might as well have been a fucking cage. He was starting to feel trapped and boxed in behind the walls. Aaron had been right, he needed this, to be out there in the wild where he had room to breathe. 

The thought of going back to Rick's had his nerves shot to hell. If he was going back to Alexandria, he knew he couldn't go back to that house. He could probably move into Rick's second house, but that would lead to all sorts of looks and questions from his people, and there was no way he could handle all that.

He supposed he could try living with Aaron and Eric. That would put some distance between him and Rick and everyone else. He hated the idea of shutting them all out, but it wasn't like he was a big fan of people being in his business anyway. They'd been through hell, but they were all settling in pretty well. They didn't need him upsetting the balance with his fucked up problems. 

Aaron and Eric did have a spare room which meant he'd have one all to himself. The prospect of that sounded incredible. Sharing with Rick was not going to work anymore, and there really was no room in the second house for him either. 

It would be weird not being around his people, not being there to protect them in case shit hit the proverbial fan, but they were all strong. And they were only four doors away.

Would it be rude not to accept Aaron's offer? Not that he was ever concerned about that sort of thing. Usually. It wouldn't hurt to try it out, give it a test run. Both of them were easy to get along with and he genuinely liked being in their company, which had been a rare thing for him to find even in the old world. 

The worst possible scenario—other than walking in on them fucking—would be that he absolutely hated being there with them all the time. He hadn't gotten tired of them yet, but what if they got tired of his gloomy self always being around, being the third wheel? They were both so fucking chipper!

Things had the potential to get pretty awkward, especially if he couldn't shake the little crush he had on Aaron and whatever the warm and fuzziness was that Eric had been starting to stir inside him with his incessant kindness. 

It shocked the hell out of him when Eric touched him for the first time without making him flinch. He hadn't ever flinched when Eric touched him, not once. That had to mean something, had to be a good sign.

If things did take a turn for the worst, he could just run away on their next run. He could slip out the gates easily. Hell, if a damn teenage girl could climb the fence, so could he. 

It wasn't until the sun was starting to chase away the night that he decided to just give in and accept their hospitality. If he knew anything, it was that the world they lived in was anything but certain. He had to take opportunities when they were right in front of him because they so easily slipped through blood-soaked fingers.

Daryl had Aaron's coffee heated up before he woke. He smiled to himself when he remembered that the man wasn't big on talking until he had his coffee. Not that Daryl was ever big on talking, but he figured Aaron would appreciate him taking care of him like Eric did. Eric might appreciate it too, and somehow that seemed more important.

As soon as the man rolled over, Daryl had the steaming mug shoved in his face. Aaron smiled as he sat up. He took the mug and gave it a good sniff before taking a big swig, sparkling eyes never leaving Daryl's. 

"Eric warned me not ta talk to ya til you've had some coffee," Daryl said.

"Thanks," Aaron replied sleepily before taking another big gulp. "Did you get any sleep? You didn't wake me," he frowned.

"Nah, been sleepin' too good lately. Need ta keep my body used to sleep deprivation," Daryl replied handing him some granola. He knew he should've woken him, but he really needed time alone with his thoughts. "What color should I paint my room?" he asked casually before sipping his coffee.

Aaron smiled from behind his mug, and Daryl was glad that he couldn't see the whole thing because that just may have been the death of him. "What's you're favorite color?"

"I dunno...green I guess, 'cause o' the trees," he mumbled.

"Hunter green?" Aaron teased. 

Daryl rolled his eyes before shaking his head with a small grin. "We should pro'lly get movin'," he suggested.

"Yes, we have to stop and get some paint. Eric's going to love that. We've helped a few people around town freshen up the paint in their houses. I know that seems kind of ridiculous, a lot of things in Alexandria probably do to you, and most are, but you have to take what joy you can get where you can get it these days," Aaron replied. 

Daryl chewed on the inside of his lip as he looked away. _Not if it's already taken,_ he chided himself. He wasn't about to steal something that wasn't his. And with that thought, the room was suddenly too hot. He quickly gathered up his things and headed out to the car without another word.

Shit! Maybe it wasn't such a good idea...

Daryl almost had himself convinced of that until Aaron came out and squashed any lingering doubt. "Eric's going to be so happy to have you with us," he smiled that subtle, disarming smile that Daryl found hypnotizingly beautiful. Aaron threw his bag in the back, smile disappearing over the top of the car as they locked eyes. "I am too."

Daryl watched something flicker in his blues eyes, but he didn't recognize it. The thought of one day knowing him well enough to be able to decipher little things like that was exhilarating. And scary knowing that Aaron and Eric would be able to do the same to him.

But it was settled.

After they packed up, they started back towards Alexandria. They stopped at the paint store they had passed and got brushes and a few different shades of green to test out, as well as some browns for the trim. 

The ride back was just as quiet as the ride out except the companionable silence was replaced by a calmness that Daryl hadn't expected, even the vibe he got from Aaron seemed more content to him. 

For the first time since the prison fell, he felt like he was going back to a place that may very well be his home someday, where maybe he could be accepted. And for the first time since he met Rick, that feeling didn't include him.


	2. Off the Ledge

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Eric moves things forward.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Sorry if you're getting this twice, something went weird and I'm reposting this chapter.
> 
> So now that I can breathe....and I'm hyped up on Darron feels, here's some Darric.
> 
> There isn't really a lot to work with regarding Eric's personality and characterization on the show so far, so who knows how ooc he is here, but this chapter is in his pov.

**Eric** 

Eric was getting nervous about Aaron and Daryl's first run together. It would be the first time Aaron went out scouting with anyone but him. That worried him, but he truly trusted Daryl to keep his lover safe. The two of them had been out hunting a few times for rabbits, and he knew they worked well together from the way Aaron spoke about the hunter.

He could admit that on some level he was jealous of their new friend, of how easily him and Aaron connected, of how Aaron had seen the potential in him right away. The two of them would be out there all alone, and that would eventually lead to some intense situations. Bounding with adrenaline in your veins was much more powerful than doing so from a couch cushion. 

In a way, he was feeling left out about the whole thing. He liked being out in the thick of it with Aaron where it was just the two of them, but he would've loved to have been out there with both of them. The three of them would've made a strong team, and he was sad that they couldn't be.

He was well aware of Daryl's little crush on Aaron. The instant he walked in their house for dinner that fateful night, he could see it in the hunter's eyes. That kind of made him jealous of Aaron which took him back a little. Daryl was fucking hot, and he was certain that his partner had some sort of attraction to him as well. It would've been more surprising if he hadn't. 

Despite that, he trusted that neither would act on their feelings when they were out there. They were both good men. He had complete faith and trust in his relationship with Aaron, and he had trust in Daryl as a friend. 

He knew Daryl was with Rick, but him and Aaron both knew that was not destined to last long. Maybe out there it would've, but Eric was pretty sure everyone in town had seen the way the Constable leered at Jessie. He felt sorry for Daryl. Being in a one-sided relationship was heartbreaking. He just wanted to wrap Daryl up and keep him safe, rescue him for the hell he was in.

If Rick couldn't appreciate what he had, then that was his loss, and him and Aaron would gladly help Daryl through that however they could. 

The more time Daryl spent at their house, the stronger his desire to protect him got. Eric was always a giver, he loved taking care of Aaron, so it was a natural progression for him to want to do the same for Daryl. It was obvious that the man wasn't used to someone fussing over him so much, but Eric appreciated that he let him.

Just one look at Daryl made it abundantly clear that he needed that, emotional safety, just as much as the semi-protection they all got from the walls. His hard life was written in scars that outdated the apocalypse. It was in his walk and the scowls that were written in the lines on his face; the lines that softened when he'd hold back a smirk at one of them, when Aaron told him to 'sleep well' or he brought him his morning coffee in the garage. 

So it was not out of pity that he approached Aaron with the idea to invite him to stay with them, but out of respect and the desire to see more of those almost smiles that he knew were right around the corner to becoming real ones, the smiles he knew no one around town would be privy to but the two of them. He genuinely wanted Daryl around; they both did.

Daryl and Aaron may have connected immediately, but there was something growing between him and Daryl. He felt it and he hoped Daryl did too. It was out of that hope and the connection that they both seemed to have with the hunter, that he finally found the courage to bring everything up with Aaron over lunch one day. 

Or more like Aaron dragged it out of him because that courage was hard to find considering that it had been just the two of them for so long. He knew, in the back of his mind he _knew_ , where it was going to go before they talked about it. More like he knew where he wanted it to go, and he just hoped that Aaron and Daryl were willing to follow him down the rabbit hole.

"What is it?" Aaron sighed after Eric's third false start. Daryl had babysitting duties with Judith and was out of the house for the first time for lunch in over a week. 

"I don't know...that's not true, I know, I just don't know where to start," Eric admitted as he bit into a rather dry tuna sandwich. 

"Daryl, then?" Aaron replied, taking a bite of his own sandwich.

"It's getting worse. I know it's not our place, but he's not doing well there...with him," he lamented, putting down his sandwich that had suddenly lost its appeal.

"You're right, it's not our place," Aaron said sternly, fixing him with his we-can't-save-everybody stare.

"Hon, we can help him. He's our friend isn't he?" Eric waited for Aaron to nod, his eyes rolling slightly, before he continued, "Then why aren't we helping him? We have a spare room that no one is ever going to use. Why don't we offer it to him and see what he says?"

"You know I'm all for helping people, good people, like him, but do you honestly think that's a good idea? You're the one who insists that he has a crush on me," Aaron said, mirroring Eric and putting down his own sandwich.

"He does, and I know you have one on him," Eric replied matter-of-factly.

"You can't be serious?" Aaron said incredulously.

"Aaron, you can lie to yourself all you want, but I know you better than that. Hell, I have a crush on him, too. How do you think I know?" he chuckled. "I'm not saying we should act on it...I mean not yet anyway, he's still a flight risk."

"Are you hearing yourself right now, Er? Where is this coming from? Have you forgotten the past five years? Have you forgotten that _we_ are together?"

"No, I haven't forgotten anything. And I know exactly what I'm saying. I love you, I always will. I'm just staying that there may be room in my heart for him, too," Eric explained. 

Aaron just stared at him like he grew a second head. Eric understood. The whole concept of bringing someone else into their home and potentially into their relationship, was not something they had ever discussed before. Then again, they had never met anyone like Daryl before either.

"I hadn't planned on bombarding you with everything at once, but I think it's something worth discussing, all of it. Daryl is not going to make a move on either of us. He's a good man, and I trust both of you out there. And I'm not saying we ever have to actually do it.

"I just need you to know that your feelings, _our_ feelings, towards him are not necessarily something we should run away from. Not with the world the way it is out there, not if he feels the same way towards you, towards us. They are valid and I want to talk about them instead of bottling them up until the damn breaks and drowns the whole town. Or the walls come down and we're too late."

Aaron cleared his throat a few times while Eric waited for him to respond. His heart was thudding loudly in his ears at his confession and he honestly had no idea how his lover would take any of it.

"You like him, too?" Aaron finally asked, brows knitted in concentration. 

"Have you seen his ass?" Eric quipped.

"Is this a trick question?" he smirked back.

"That was a yes, if I ever heard one," he winked. "We don't have to jump his bones the second he moves in. We can take our time, talk it out some more. Feel him out...figuratively, I mean. I just want you to know where I'm at. Even if nothing happens between us and him, he needs to get out of that house. I'm afraid he's going to run if he doesn't."

"We do have the room," Aaron conceded.

"You know he needs room to roam. We have the room, we can offer him more space than what he's getting in that clown car of a house. I don't know how they do it with all—what?—eight or so of them in there," Eric chuckled.

"I think they're used to it. Being out there...I think it brought them comfort, the closeness, in case of threats. Live together, die together, maybe?" Aaron rose from the table and picked up the plate with his half-eaten sandwich. Eric lifted his plate for him to clear away, his own sandwich hardly touched.

Eric followed him over to the refrigerator where he was putting their food away. He wrapped his arms around Aaron and leaned his chest against his back, hands fluttering over his stomach, and lightly peppered his neck with kisses. He let out a sigh and rested his cheek between his shoulder blades.

"You know I'd never act on it, right?" Aaron asked, craning his neck back to look at him over his shoulder from the corner of his eye.

"Yeah, I know," Eric whispered as he kissed the corner of his mouth. "Then what's the problem?" 

Aaron sighed and turned in his arms, snaking his own around his lover. "Maybe...maybe I'm afraid that I will?" he shrugged.

"I have more faith in you than that, Sweetie. He's a good looking man, it's okay to look. And I know you wouldn't do anything to hurt me. Ever! So I don't see the problem in offering him an out from the situation he's in. He needs this! He needs...he needs us."

"Why are you always right," Aaron groaned.

Eric smiled wide, "Because I'm smarter than you!"

"When should we do it?"

"I think you should. Maybe when you go on your run? You're much calmer with him, and I'm afraid I'd get too excited and scare him off. That's not what he needs right now."

"Alright...just look me in the eye and tell me this is really what you want," Aaron said.

"This is what we both want, and you know it. This is what he wants, but he doesn't know it. So show him, and don't take 'no' for an answer," Eric said firmly as he pulled away. "Oh, and keep your eye out for a paint store. I don't think periwinkle is really his color," he smirked.

*****

It felt like years since Eric had watched the two of them pull away on their first scouting run. He knew they were only going to be gone a day or so, just long enough to get Daryl familiar with the area that they covered and for the two of them to feel each other out a bit.

He didn't sleep well without Aaron next to him. He couldn't decide if that was from nerves of knowing he was out there in danger or more from the fact that he had no idea how everything was going with Daryl. He couldn't wait for Aaron to get home so he could grill him on all the juicy details. 

A lot of what if's were tumbling around in his head as he ate dinner alone the next night. What if Aaron chickened out and didn't ask him? What if Daryl said 'no'? What if he said 'yes'? What if he got spoked and ran off into the woods? What if something happened to one of them? Both of them? 

He went upstairs early to get ready for bed. He took a short, awkward shower sitting on the stool Aaron found him so he could do so with his busted leg. After toweling off, he literally hopped into bed and tried to still his thoughts. 

He was about to drift off when he heard car doors shutting outside. He smiled but resisted the urge to get up. A minute later, he heard the front door opening. He didn't want Aaron to think he was worried about him so he decided to stay in bed and let the man come to him.

His heart sped up when he heard muffled voices coming up the stairs and the soft creak of the hinges on the door as Aaron quietly slipped in the room. He sat up and turned on the lamp on the side table as Aaron crossed the room to capture his lips, kissing him long and slow.

"Missed you," Aaron whispered as he kissed his way down his neck. 

"So?!" Eric asked impatiently pushing him away, knowing Aaron was just teasing him now.

"We have a new roommate," he said, pulling back to look Eric in the eye. 

"He said 'yes'?"

"He said 'yes'," Aaron confirmed. 

"Was he excited? Was he scared? Happy?"

"I...I think he was relieved. Maybe a little guarded about it, but yeah, definitely relieved. And yes, we picked up some paint, a few shades of green."

"For the trees," Eric thought out loud. "Does he need anything? I know the bed's made and everything, but are you guys hungry?" 

"No, and let's give him some space to get adjusted. You said it yourself, we don't want you to spoke him," Aaron reminded him. 

"Does he need to go get his things from their house? One of us should probably go with him."

"First of all, he's a grown man. And second of all, he said he packed all his clothes. I don't think he has any possessions other than his crossbow...Sweetheart, I think he was going to run."

Eric ran a hand through Aaron's hair and let out a slow, albeit shaky, breath. He leaned closer to kiss him, hand falling down to card through the hair at the nape of his neck. "I'm glad we got to him in time, then." 

"Me too."

"How did the rest of the trip go?" Eric asked, wanting to move the conversation in a more positive direction.

Aaron smiled mischievously at him, "We...hahaha, we found a pasta maker. First trip out. I think that's a good omen."

"Very good omen," he smiled, pulling Aaron into a deep kiss. "I wanna keep him," he whispered when they broke apart again.

"Let's just take this slow. One step at a time, okay? He's a skittish flight risk. He doesn't need to go jumping from one relationship to the next, and we don't even know if he'd be willing to...oh hell, Eric, I can't believe you have me entertaining such a crazy idea," Aaron said shaking his head in disbelief.

"You're right. You've had a long day. Let's just see how it goes, how he adjusts, how long we can keep our hands off him," he smirked. 

"You're insane," Aaron said before giving him a quick chaste kiss and rising from the bed, "I'm going to take a quick shower. I smell like two days in the woods."

"Smells good on you, but yeah," Eric replied as he watched him walk away. 

*****

Daryl had been staying with them for a week before Rick came looking for him. Eric wasn't sure what that said about him, about their relationship. On one hand, the Constable must've trusted that he could take care of himself. On the other, it was sad that he didn't come running the minute he realized Daryl wasn't coming home. 

But he had promised Aaron that he wouldn't meddle so he bit his tongue on all matters regarding Daryl and Rick's relationship. 

Daryl pulled away a little that night, spending most of his time alone in his room. He usually spent it in the garage with the door open so they could all holler back and forth when the desire arose, but they both gave him his space, speculating that him and Rick had most likely ended everything. Eric did so more reluctantly, but he chalked that up to the nurturer in him.

It was a little easier to watch Aaron and Daryl leave on their second scouting trip. That one lasted three days. They found signs of a potential group somewhere, but they never had eyes on them. 

He was surprised at how strong his urge to kiss Daryl was when the pair came home to him. He settled for planting a scorching kiss on Aaron right there in the living room. They tried to keep the PDA to a minimum in front of Daryl in case it made him uncomfortable. 

It usually did. 

When they forget or when Daryl would walk in on them in a kiss, he always averted his eyes or walked away. But when they broke away this time, Daryl's dilated pupils were unmistakable, and his eyes were practically transfixed on them.

That's when Eric knew it wasn't just about Aaron anymore. Daryl wanted them both, and they both wanted Daryl.

The bond growing between himself and Daryl seemed to multiply every day after that. Maybe it was just wishful thinking, but he saw something in his eyes, desire perhaps, that wasn't there in the beginning. An instant connection like the hunter had with Aaron would've been amazing, but he knew attraction didn't always work that way, and as long as they got there, he wasn't going to complain about a timeline. 

Daryl had his bike fixed after their second run, and he beamed the first time he rode it around the neighborhood. All the kids came over to see it asking for rides. He took Carl on a spin around the block, which was nice to see because he knew he missed being around the Grimes children all the time. 

After he took Aaron for a ride, Eric wanted to drag them both in the house and ravage them. The sight of them so close, Aaron's arms wrapped around Daryl's waist, was hotter than he could've even imagined it to be. And he really hoped Daryl could see that written on his face. He knew Aaron could.

Him and Aaron had had a few other conversations about taking things to a new level with Daryl after that, but it would be a huge step for all of them, a huge adjustment if he accepted, and a huge risk if they were reading the signs wrong. 

It wasn't until a few days before Daryl and Aaron's third run that Eric knew the time had come to move things forward. He was in Daryl's room putting away his laundry when the hunter came out of the bathroom in just a towel, hair dripping water droplets down his chest and back. He should've gotten a medal for not tackling him right then. 

Unlike the first few times Eric had seen him without a shirt on, seen the scars really, Daryl didn't rush for something to cover up with. He casually walked over to the dresser that had just been restocked and pulled out a clean tank top. 

Before he could put it on—before Eric could even think about it—his hands ghosted over Daryl's broad back as he studied every inch of scar tissue with his finger tips like he was reading the painful story of his life written in braille.

He knew the man had issues with people touching him. It took weeks before Aaron could just brush against him without him flinching. But for some reason, he never did with Eric. He wasn't sure why that was. It didn't matter whether it was because the loner wasn't threatened by him or if he was just comfortable enough around him not to. 

What did matter was the fact that caressing his scars felt more intimate than anything else he had ever experienced in his life. That really scared him because it wasn't with Aaron, but at the same time, it thrilled him because he wanted him to be there in that moment with them. He wanted to share that feeling with Aaron just as much as he did with Daryl.

He was in love with both of them now, and he didn't want to go back to a time before he wasn't.

Eric took a half step to the side and placed a chaste kiss on Daryl's cheek. He gave him a smile that he hoped read, 'you're safe here'. And the small one he got back was pure longing. Not for Aaron, but for him. 

That's when he knew it was time for the three of them to take a chance, to jump off the ledge they were teetering on so they could catch each other at the bottom.And if they resisted, he'd just have to shove them off.


	3. Odd 'Couple'

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Aaron and Eric make plans.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This goes a little canon divergent on the Pete thing just because 'Used' was written before the season finale and I don't read the comics. Also I didn't envision Rick as being as 'feral' in this world.
> 
> I have kisses and maybe some walker kills planned for next chapter. Gods only know when I'll get that out. I also want to post some more ficlets on 'That's How' which is like a companion piece to this series if you haven't checked that out yet. But enjoy this for now!

**Aaron**

Aaron wasn't a man who usually dabbled in denial. He was a man comfortable with who he was, what he wanted, and how he felt. 

That was until he met Daryl Dixon. 

He really shouldn't've found the man so attractive, coated in a couple of years worth of dirt and grime, smelling like the barn his group was residing in, and hiding behind a shaggy curtain of hair that hid most of his face from view. But those arms were like a walking advertisement for eye candy and apparently his unconscious brain had a sweet tooth.

It was instantaneous. Before he even approached the group, when him and Eric were in the observation stage, his eyes would seek out the hunter. His self-justification was that out of their whole group, the man with the crossbow, their hunter, would most likely be the one to discover that him and Eric were watching them. Therefore, it made sense to be keenly aware of his location at all times.

When he saw the hunter kiss the leader, Rick, that stirred something primal in him. It was a chaste kiss, no heat at all, but it just didn't _feel_ right. That was the only way he could describe it. He didn't dare label it jealousy because what kind of man gets jealous of a stranger kissing his own boyfriend? 

The whole thing confused the hell out of him because he was a happily committed man. He was faithful and loyal to Eric and had not once in their five years together even thought about straying. Not that he was thinking about doing so with Daryl because he never would. It was okay to look, healthy even, but what caught him off guard was that he didn't even realize it was happening.

Then, the recruiting mission got so out of hand with their group that maybe he should've taken it as a sign of things to come, of the struggle and turmoil he'd soon find within himself regarding whatever it was that had him drawn to the rugged hunter. And he was absolutely drawn to him.

At first, that was easily explained away as fascination, as novelty for a new group. They usually only found a few people at a time, but these people were clearly a strong, robust unit, cohesive and well-established. Everything about them spoke to an intriguing history that Aaron, being a person with deep roots in humanitarianism and the social sciences, found he wanted to know.

But it was upon the smooth lines and chipped edges of the hunter that his gaze always wandered back to, lingered on. After Eric got hurt, it only intensified. He attributed this to the fact that he would eventually need a new scouting partner, and he had a gut feeling that the hunter would be amazing at it. Because of that, his study of the man was justified. 

So he told himself. 

If he was going to trust this man with his life, he needed to know him, his style, his essence, his soul. That wasn't exactly true, he just wanted to know those things. Friends knew such things about each other, and him and Eric wanted to make friends with him. 

He was an outsider just like they were, more so even. It made sense to befriend him, to take him in, to give him their friendship and support because they knew he'd be the one the residents of Alexandria would be the most wary of. They both knew what that felt like.

Deanna could've easily assigned Daryl to scouting duties without his investigation, for lack of a better word, but he thought it best to feel the hunter out on his own. Maybe that was just an excuse to get closer to him. It was still better than his lame excuse as to why he 'stumbled' upon Daryl in the woods. Rabbits? Really? Was he Elmer Fudd? 

He knew the man saw right through him, but he didn't say a word. Maybe he should've. Then he wouldn't've almost gotten himself killed when he tripped over the damn walker in that field because he was worried about making a good impression. Daryl saved his life, then he saved Daryl's, and that's when he knew.

He was in trouble.

Yet, he didn't do a damn thing about it. 

Hell, he did the opposite. He invited him into his house to eat dinner with his partner, showed him the bike that he knew would lead to hours and hours of deft fingers and lean muscles working and flexing to reconstruct the thing in his garage. And of course, of course, Eric would've noticed.

He did. 

When Eric told him about wanting Daryl to move in, he wasn't too surprised. Eric was always taking in strays. Not that Daryl was one, it just spoke to his kindness and the big heart the man wore on his sleeve. His partner wasn't a jealous man, he knew Eric trusted him, but inviting him into their home, especially when Eric could see the spark between him and Daryl, seemed like a recipe for disaster.

What he was surprised about was the rest of their conversation. It was one thing to deny to himself that he had some sort of connection with Daryl, but when Eric was forcing him to look at it, he had to admit to him that he felt it, the pull that left his knees weak when Daryl looked at him just right. And he hated himself for that.

He was happy with Eric. Truly happy, not just _'my options are limited so I'll grin and bear it till something better comes along',_ and he knew Eric felt the same. Therefor, the suggestion to think about inviting Daryl into their relationship came from so far out of left field that he was sure he went into a mild state of shock.

How would they even go about something like that? Would they 'share' him? Would he even want them both, at the same time, apart? Daryl wasn't a possession to be passed around, he knew that, so how the hell would that even work? 

He tried to image how he'd feel knowing Eric was sleeping with another man while he was downstairs doing the dishes. But all he could picture was joining them. Six limbs strewn about on their bed, a flurry of fingers on both milky smooth and rough worn skin alike. Lips and soft caresses fluttering everywhere as the three of them melded into one.

However, his thoughts weren't just concerned with the sex part, but of the incorporation of another person into a well established relationship. It would be a huge adjustment for all of them, and he wasn't sure it was worth the risk. What would they do if jealous and neglect worked its way in? How would they handle fights and disagreements? What if the whole thing fell apart and he was left with nothing?

Those were some of his concerns about Daryl coming into their relationship, but Eric was right that the hunter needed out of his current situation. He was hesitant to even consider letting Daryl move in, not because he didn't want him to, but because he really, _really_ did. And that scared him. 

It scared him because he could already picture the three of them together, the little niches they would settle into, the peace he knew he'd have knowing that there could be someone else around to love the man he loved, someone else to help protect him, that he could entrust his life to, because Eric deserved so much more than he could ever hope to give.

Eric's heart was big enough for the both of them. He knew that. What he was concerned about was whether or not his was, or if Daryl's was. Maybe they could be, maybe Eric could stretch them out if they weren't. If anyone could do such a thing it was Eric. 

One thing was for sure, inviting Daryl in was the beginning, the first step, the catalyst that would change everything: his relationship with Eric, their budding relationship with the hunter. But he trusted Eric implicitly, he trusted his judgement and his vision, and if the man said invite him in, that was what he was going to do.

He thought things would be awkward at first, but they went on like business as usual. He hadn't realized how much time Daryl had been spending at their house, but it was if nothing changed at all. He was there when him and Eric woke up the morning after their first run in the garage tinkering with his bike, and he slipped in the guest room— _his_ room—just after they went to bed that night. 

It was seamless, everything about Daryl was, and he had to wonder if that's how it would be if they 'brought' him into their relationship, for lack of a better word. From the outside, the three of them together might look like the weirdest odd 'couple' in the history of the world, but from where he was standing, from the inside, he was starting to think it might look a lot like love.

*****

Aaron and Daryl's second scouting run was a lot like the first only longer. They found traces of a group along a stretch of back road but were unable to locate them. However, their good fortune did continue when they stumbled upon an old junkyard. Daryl was happy he was able to pick up the last few parts he needed for his bike.

Aaron wasn't surprised at how well him and Daryl found their rhythm with each other out there. It was easy being with the man, like they'd being working along side one another their whole lives. That's how it felt back at home as well, all three of them moving around each other like liquid as they did chores or other tasks.

They talked a lot about Eric while they were out, wondering aloud at what he might've been doing at any particular moment. Come to find out, he was not successful with his homemade pasta experiment, but the two kept a lookout for something special they could potentially bring back to him to boost his spirits.

"I bet Eric will be excited to have us back," Aaron said as they drove along the stretch of road toward Alexandria.

"Gonna talk our ears off prolly," Daryl replied. 

"Yeah, he's, uh, he's always been verbose," he smiled fondly. "It's worse now that we live in such a confined place. He has a lot of energy and lately he hasn't been able to burn it all off." _Bet you could help with that,_ he thought before checking the mirrors to clear the stray thoughts from his mind.

"Know how he feels, was goin' stir crazy in there," Daryl gruffly said. 

Aaron shifted uncomfortably in his seat at that and the heated thoughts that came along with it. _Why exactly did you think offering him this job was a good idea?_ he chided himself. "Now, he can't even come out here."

"We should get 'em a dog or somethin'. Someone ta keep him company...Always wanted a dog."

"I'm afraid there are only wild ones around here."

"Or ones that went feral after," Daryl added.

"Human's tamed them once. It shouldn't be too hard to find a more docile one to bring in," he optimistically replied.

"Hmmm...think he'll like the ice cream machine?"

"I know I will," Aaron said, smirking at him from the driver's seat. "I think we'll be relegated to sherbets, though. I'm not sure if we have any powdered cream back home."

"Suppose we'll be the guinea pigs again...," Daryl smirked back. 

And Aaron just wanted to taste it. He wanted to pull off the road, straddle Daryl's lap, and kiss the shit right out of him. He wanted Daryl's lips on his neck and his hands on his ass. Then, he wanted to watch Eric do the same thing—

"Ya hear me?" Daryl asked. 

Aaron looked over to the passenger at Daryl who had a somewhat worried expression on his face. How long had he zoned out? "Huh? Oh sorry, I was, uh, thinking about the dog," he lied.

"Just wonderin' what apple sherbet tasted like," the hunter teased.

He was pretty sure anything would taste good off Daryl's fingers. _Stop!_ "Oh yeah? And what's your least favorite food?" Aaron asked.

"Don't have one. Didn't have much growin' up, didn't have much out there. Guess I learned not ta be too picky."

Aaron hummed in acknowledgment, "And your favorite?"

"Kinda partial to spaghetti," Daryl huffed out with a laugh.

"Might not want to tell Eric that or that's all we'll be eating from now on," Aaron chuckled back. 

"Still ain't used to him fussin' over me."

"I think it makes him feel useful, taking care of people. He's good at it, and I appreciate you suffering through it," Aaron replied.

"Well, I wouldn't call it torture," Daryl confessed.

"Think we'll be back before dark." 

"Mhmm."

*****

Eric was just hobbling out from the kitchen when they walked in the door. Aaron was expected a chaste kiss on the lips when Eric made it over to them because Daryl was standing right beside him. Neither wanted to make him uncomfortable, but apparently Eric had other ideas. 

His lover fisted a hand in his curls and pulled him down for a kiss that was all heat and tongues and passion. And only for a split second was he worried about how awkward it might've been for Daryl. All he could think about after that was how he wanted to reach out and kiss him too.

That kiss wasn't for him or Eric anyway, it was for Daryl, but he didn't know that until they broke apart and the hunter's eyes were momentarily transfixed on their lips. He looked so beautiful, and Aaron wondered what was running through his mind in that moment.

Eric quickly ushered them both into the kitchen where they told him all about their run while he cooked them dinner. In turn, he got the two of them up to speed on the latest news around Alexandria. The most significant being the three people who died the previous night.

Apparently, one of the older gentlemen had a heart attack in the night. He died and turned while Pete was tending to him before attacking the surgeon. A nurse was taken out as well when she went to relieve him the next morning, and Rick and Michonne had to put them all down. 

Daryl retreated to the garage soon after that. He was visibly upset, but shrugged him and Eric both off when they tried to ask him about it. They weren't sure whether he was angry about the door now being open for Rick and Jessie to pair up or that he wasn't there to help out when there was a direct threat to their settlement lurking about. 

Knowing Daryl, it was probably a little bit of both. Aaron thought he might've also been worried about Eric being more vulnerable with his broken ankle that had yet to heal. He certainly was. If they were both out there when something else happened, who would be there to protect him? If something happened to Eric, who would keep him sane?

*****

It was several days later that Daryl had his bike up and running. Aaron had never been on one before, but Eric convinced him to go for a spin. He couldn't decide if the thrill he got as they rode down the street was from the motorcycle or from having his arms wrapped tightly around Daryl's body. 

Daryl's shaggy locks were blowing in his face as the wind blew by, but he didn't find that he minded it too much. If he had had the courage, he might've rested his chin on his shoulder or moved his hands further south, but he resisted, content to concentrate on the twitching muscles under his fingers as they rounded each corner. 

And if Eric would've had the courage to do what was written on his face when they returned home, that night might've been the start of something incredible, but he had a feeling they were getting close. 

It was a few days later that he found out just how right he was. 

Aaron had turned in early while Eric stayed up to finish some laundry. He was close to nodding off when he heard the door creak open, chiding himself for not oiling the thing like he promised he would a week ago. He felt the bed shift as Eric crawled in beside him and heard his heavy sigh that spoke louder than his words ever did.

He spun over to face him and they studied each other for a while in silence. He knew every inch of Eric's body, knew the few scars he had and where they came from. He knew every faint line on his face and how long they had been there, every smile he cracked that etched them into place, every frown and every freckle.

There was so much love in his eyes, but there was longing, too, a hole in his heart where Daryl was supposed to go. Aaron wanted the hunter to fill it in for him just as much as he wanted the one in him filled.

"You can have him," Eric finally said, moving his hand to cup Aaron's face, a thumb grazing over his cheek.

"Daryl?" he asked, furrowing his brow. Of course it was Daryl, who else would it be?

Eric gave him an amused grin, "I just meant that you can have him first. We...I just think maybe...it's—"

"Time?"

"Yes, and I don't mean to sound like he's a thing to pass around. I was just thinking that he might be more comfortable if we eased him into it, and I think he might be more receptive to you."

"Er, do you not see the way he looks at you?" Aaron asked in disbelief. He'd seen it, he knew Daryl wanted Eric too. 

"Yes, I know. I was just thinking that the connection you had at the beginning...I was just thinking you should get first dibs...God, that sounds horrible," he mumbled to himself.

"I know what you are trying to say," Aaron replied with a sweet peck on his lips. "But this is not just about me and him, it's about all three of us. I want this with both of you."

Eric nodded, "I'm...," he hesitated and looked away. "I think I've already fallen in love with him."

Aaron leaned in closer and kissed his forehead. "Isn't that kind of the point of this whole thing?" He pulled back to look in his eyes, fingers twisting in his soft hair. "Or did you just want to sleep with him?" he teased.

"No, of course not!" Eric insisted.

"Are you still in love with me?"

"More than ever, actually. I just wasn't sure how you'd react when after five years of being a couple I admitted that I was in love with another man."

"I think I'm falling for him, too. And it's not like it was out of the blue. We've been building to this, we've been talking about this," Aaron reminded him.

"I know...I think he wants us, too, but you and I have had weeks to talk about this. Even if he's thought about it, he may need time to process it. We can talk to him together, but I just think it might be better for you to do it," Eric suggested.

"How'd I get to be the middle man?" Aaron chuckled.

"You aren't. We are doing this together, all three of us as partners...unless you wanted to be in the middle," he smirked. 

"Do you think we're ready for something like this? What if it doesn't work out? He'll have no one."

"We aren't going to let that happen, no matter which way it goes, and even if he doesn't want to be with us," Eric said firmly. "We are more than ready, and I think he is, too. We...we just shared a beautiful moment and the only thing that would've made it better is if you had been there with us. I wanted you with us and I know he did. I want more of those, I want all of them, and both of you."

"We'll have more, all three of us...even if we have to lock him in the basement," Aaron joked.

"Do you think he'd go for that?" Eric snickered back.

"Seriously though, how should I tell him, or ask him?" Aaron pondered. "Should I ask if he wants to go steady with us?" 

"We're trying to land him not drive him away," Eric chuckled. "I'd just kiss him and see where it goes from there. He's a man of action, not words...so show him."

"I might need a few days to work up my nerve."

"Take as long as you need, but not too long or you'll forfeit and I'll make the first move," he smiled mischievously. 

"I love you," Aaron said.

"I love you, too."

With that, the decision was made; they were actually going through with it. They were going to expand their family, their relationship, their hearts, make them bigger and stronger and so much more beautiful. And they were going to do it with Daryl. They wanted to do it with Daryl.

His heart was a flutter for the next several days as Eric silently encouraged him to make his approach. Ideally, he would've preferred for the three of them to sit down and talk it through together as a team, as the unit they were about to become, but Eric said kiss the man and that's just what he was going to do.


	4. Equal Partners

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The trio share their first kisses.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!!

**Daryl**

Daryl wasn't exactly sure what to expect when he moved in with Aaron and Eric. Awkward encounters, misunderstandings, and being the third wheel were most likely, but he felt oddly comfortable with them from the beginning. The couple made sure to include him in everything from discussions on Mark Twain when the two brought back a copy of _The Adventures of Tom Sawyer_ on a run to what he thought was supposed to be a romantic date under the stars one night. 

Not once did he feel unwelcome or like an intruder, and he wasn't sure why that was at first. Eric and Aaron were good people, he knew that. What he didn't know was what they saw in him worth befriending. He'd had exactly three friends in his life, excluding his makeshift family, and never intended to make anymore.

But they cared about him, Eric wanted to take care of him, and Aaron lit up his soul in ways he was wholeheartedly ashamed of. If they knew where his mind wandered to after his head hit the unnervingly soft pillows, they'd toss his ass out faster than Rick let him go.

He wasn't exactly sure how breakups were supposed to go, but he figured him and Rick's five minute conversation that ended with the words, "Maybe this whole thang was a mistake," pretty much summed up his whole fucking life. It hurt for awhile, he couldn't deny that, but Aaron and Eric got him through it. 

The next day Eric was extra attentive to him, which he knew he didn't deserve but secretly reveled in, and Aaron took him out rabbit hunting to calm his nerves. 

It was several weeks before his chest stopped constricting at the subtlest of thoughts for the ex-lawman, but it did and he wondered how much of that soulful healing was from the smiles he got from Aaron and the gentle touches Eric would bestow upon him. Most of it, if he was being honest about it.

If either noticed the stolen glances he shot Aaron's way, they didn't bring it up. And if either noticed the growing connection between him and Eric, they didn't let on, didn't ask him to leave, and didn't even make any sort of play to establish their claim over each other. 

In fact, Eric pulled them all closer together. He told Aaron to help with his bike when it was supposed to be his night to do the dishes, made sure to include him in just about everything they did, and even rearranged the settings at the table so Daryl sat at the end flanked by both of them.

He wasn't exactly sure when those stole glances began to shift towards Eric, but they helped to elevate the guilt he felt for the feelings he harbored for Aaron. It wasn't until him and Aaron returned from their second scouting trip and was subjected to the heated kiss the couple shared that he realized he was in trouble.

Somehow he had managed to fall for two amazing men while knowing he couldn't have either. He hated himself for that. Was it him or did he just have bad taste in men? Did he prefer the emotionally unavailable ones, the unobtainable ones? There was probably some undead shrink out there who could've told him it was all his parents' fault for not loving him enough. Or at all.

When Eric started glancing back with fiery eyes, all bright and hot, he knew he was already in too deep. The couple looked so hopelessly in love that he had to scratched his head at that. He refused to be the other man to either of them, he refused to let them throw away something so special over a dumb redneck hick. 

He began to get that same itch he had at Rick's house, the compulsion to run, to spare them from the clusterfuck that was Daryl Dixon even if it meant he'd be out there all alone. Maybe that was how he was meant to be: alone.

This time, he didn't need to pack all his clothes, only the essentials. Eric had somehow built up his wardrobe without him realizing it, the sneaky bastard. The scouts said their goodbye's to the man, a kiss for Aaron and a warm hug for Daryl that had his stomach doing cartwheels and reaffirming his decision to get the hell out of there.

They left the vehicles on a beaten back road and set out on foot through the forest in search of signs of life. They'd been out there two days with no luck when they finally stumbled upon a few stray walkers. They dispatched of them easily, Daryl's crossbow making quick work of the one that got a little too close to Aaron for his liking and the taller man hacking away with his machete.

He was mesmerized by the way Aaron swung the weapon with a gracefulness that rivaled Rick, crushing bone and tearing through flesh instantaneously. Aaron caught him staring, his inviting smile breaking the trance and ushering in new waves of guilt. Out here you had to be on top of your game, not standing in awe of your partner. That's how people got killed and he promised Eric he'd bring Aaron home save.

That's when he realized that he couldn't run. There was no one else he trusted Aaron's safety to. He needed to be out here with him to watch his back and make sure he got back to his lover in one piece. That was his job now and he wasn't going to abandon it or them.

The had walked further into the forest a few hours before they stumbled on a herd of about a hundred walkers. Daryl had seen bigger but that large of group of those fuckers were not something two men could easily handle alone. They were forced to retreat. 

They began retracing their steps, but before they got too far, they were cut off from their route by another branch of what he realized was a herd a lot larger than the hundred or so they'd seen behind them. Veering off course, they were forced to pick up their pace. For all they knew they were surrounded and the walls of walkers were closing in around them. 

"We need ta find a place to lay low till they pass," Daryl said, as they trotted through trees and the thick underbrush.

"We haven't seen any place to hide since we've been out here," Aaron replied glumly.

"Don't mean there ain't, jus' gotta find it." 

He heard Aaron right behind him snort out a laugh at that. 

"What?" he huffed.

"Just wasn't expecting you to be the optimistic one of this partnership," Aaron teased.

"Ya wanna die out here, 'cause that's lookin' ta be our only other option," he hissed.

"No...no you're right. We have to stay positive," he agreed.

They ran a ways further before they came to a clearing for a relatively new housing development. Unfortunately, the place was overrun and they had to retreat back into the woods. They could still hear the gurgling of the dead following quickly behind, but they had found a little trail that they decided to follow for the time being leading out from the houses.

Daryl's instincts paid off when they came to a quite sturdy looking hunting shack. They slipped inside and were lucky it was empty. They made sure the place was secure and moved the sparse furniture around to reinforce the doors before finally sinking to the floor to catch their breath. 

"That was close," Daryl muttered low just as the sound of walkers started to filter into the two room dwelling. "Should prolly stay here for the night ta be safe, head out at first light," he suggested.

"Sounds good," Aaron said, shifting nervously. 

Daryl had noticed that something had been off between the two of them for the last few days. He wondered if the man had started to notice the way he was leering at Eric. The last thing he wanted to do was rock the boat or make either of his gracious hosts feel uncomfortable, but he wasn't sure what to make of it.

They ate their dinner in a cloud of uncomfortable silence broken up only by the occasional walker banging up against the house and a grunt or sigh from either of them. Aaron had found a small kerosene lamp under an old table and they watched the shadows from the flames dance on the opposite wall they were leaning against for awhile before _it_ happened.

He wasn't sure who inched closer to whom, maybe they both did, but all of a sudden he was all too aware of Aaron's thigh pressed against his and their shoulders as close as they could be without touching. His breath caught in his throat momentarily and he swallowed hard to clear the cotton from his mouth.

He squeezed his eyes shut and took a deep breath to calm the cloud of lust kicked up in his body at the contact, and he was pretty sure he let out an undignified whimper when he felt Aaron's warm hand softly cup his neck. He refused to open his eyes when he felt Aaron's breath ghosting over his face but he wasn't sure if that was because he was afraid to discover it was just a dream or afraid it was all too real. 

Then, there were soft, full lips on his that still tasted like the honeysuckle they had come across earlier and another hand sliding up to tangle in his oily hair. The parting of lips was driven by reflex alone, and when Aaron's tongue dipped hesitantly in his mouth, all of existence fell away. The deft muscle was all he felt as his mouth was mapped more thoroughly than the stars.

That was Aaron, precise and clean, all soft lines and shimmering sparkles, methodical but so very moving. He wanted to touch but didn't dare move, he probably couldn't've if he had tried buried under the weight of him, under the weight of all of it, of the world crumbling around them and the morality that was going blurry around the edges.

Somewhere in the back of his mind was a part of him screaming that it was wrong, that this beautiful moment wasn't his to be had, but everything else, every sense and muscle and cell in his body was screaming that it was, that it was right, consequences be damned!

 _"Eric,"_ said a tiny voice he assumed was his conscience, and somehow the message was heard over the symphony of rights, and he froze, tensed, locked up, and that was enough for Aaron to pull back, for him to push the man away.

 

**Aaron**

When Daryl broke the kiss and stood up, he was afraid he had ruined everything. Maybe being so forward without any preamble wasn't the best route to take with the skittish scout. He did his best to explain himself, to let Daryl know that this, him, was something that he and Eric both wanted, but he knew that Daryl might not have the self-worth to allow himself to believe that.

Daryl started pacing and he thought it best to allow him an out. Even if nothing happened between them, then they still wanted to be his friend. He wanted to make sure that Daryl understood that, to make him see that the ball was in his court, that him and Eric were on the same page and both wanted him. 

He wasn't exactly sure if he was saying the right things because he hadn't ever invited another person into an existing relationship before. And the confused looks Daryl kept giving him did nothing to inspire confidence. He really wished he hadn't've let Eric talk him into doing it alone.

He supposed he shouldn't've been surprised when Daryl assumed they just wanted him for sex. He had a feeling that Daryl had spent most of his life feeling used, and that was the last thing him or Eric wanted to do. They just wanted to love him because, by this point, they had both fallen for the rugged hunter.

"It's called polyamory," Aaron tried to explain. "It means many loves, but in this case just three. You, me, and Eric." 

"Ya'll love me?" Daryl asked, stopping his pacing to stand toe to toe with him. His face was hardened but sad, almost like he was waiting for a sucker punch, for the rug to be pulled out from under him, for Aaron to tell him the whole thing was a lie. 

"I'm sorry if this has caught you off guard. I realize we should've come to you sooner and given you a chance to talk things through with us before I went and assaulted you, but I saw an opening and took a chance, because yes, Daryl Dixon, somewhere along the line we both fell in love with you.

"It was the last thing either of us had expected. It's certainly something that has never happened to us before, and I honestly don't know how we do this, but we want to try. We _want_ you and not just the sex that'll probably be Earth-shattering, but because you make us happy. 

"I don't know how but you fit like the third leg of a tripod we didn't even know we were. Maybe that's a weird analogy, but like I said, I've never done this before. And maybe it doesn't work out, maybe we screw everything up, but I think you're worth the risk."

"I ain't," Daryl spat.

"Yes...yes you are," Aaron replied. He slowly raised his hand and brushed a strand of Daryl's dirty dark hair behind his ear, his thumb tracing the jagged edge of his jaw on the way down. "Life...in this world is too short and bleak not to have love to offer it light, even for a little while or how ever long we have left. And we want to share that with you."

"Eric's okay with this?" Daryl asked, his eyes dropping to a suddenly very interesting spot on his boot.

"Like I said, he told me I could have you. Of course that is only under the condition that he can, too. Not that you're a possession or anything, because you're not, you'll be an equal partner," he said. Daryl's eyes flickered to his for just a second before dropping back to the floor. "He just meant that I could be the first to...he thought it best not to overwhelm you because it's a lot to take in. He can be, too," he chuckled nervously, relieved when Daryl mirrored.

"Ain't sure I'd be a good 'equal partner'. My last one didn't think so," Daryl mumbled.

Aaron gently lifted his chin with the tips of his fingers until narrow blue eyes ripe with a storm of uncertainty were looking into his. "To us, you already have been. We just want to make it official...y'know, add the kissing and stuff," he smiled. He hoped that every doubt the hunter had was washed away by it. "Because I'm fairly certain Eric already thinks you're his boyfriend."

Daryl let out a little huff of laughter at that and Aaron could stand to hear more of that. 

"He's pretty great," Daryl said soft and low.

Aaron leaned in closer to him and swallowed hard when Daryl's eyes fell upon his lips. "You're pretty great," he whispered. A hand carded its way through Daryl's hair before coming to rest on the back of his head. He wasn't going to push or pull, Daryl had to make the next move, had to lean in the rest of the way because it had to be his choice.

He didn't wait long. Daryl closed the gap between them and pressed his lips to Aaron's, uncertainty bleeding through as he pulled back almost instantly. It was just a peck, but that's all Aaron needed in lieu of his answer. They stood there for a moment staring into each other's eyes, so many things passing between them without words, before one side of Daryl's lips slanted up into a quirky smile.

"So...what? Now I got two boyfriends? Ain't ever been good with one," Daryl said, his half smile faltering.

"I, I don't know how it's going to work. Like I said, we've never done anything like this before either. All I can tell you is that I've been dying to kiss you since before we met, Eric too, and we _want_ you. We want you with us, we want you to be a part of us because there's something here between us, all three of us, and I _know_ you feel it just like we do," Aaron explained.

Aaron's hand fell down to Daryl's neck, his thumb rubbing soothing circles on the skin just under his jaw. He didn't know what else to say to make him understand. Maybe that was because he didn't quite understand it himself. It was just this feeling that he had, the same one he got when he fell in love with Eric. That's how he knew to trust it.

"Yeah," was Daryl's hoarse reply. The wary hands that had been cemented at Aaron's sides pulled them together until they touched thigh to sternum.

Aaron smiled and started to place several chaste kisses against his lips until Daryl's hesitation evaporated and those lips parted to swallow his up. He got lost in a flurry of tongues and teeth and hands that seemed to be everywhere at once, so much so that he swore Daryl had extra.

And he couldn't help but think that that was more like it, passionate and steamy, Daryl stealing all the oxygen from his lungs, or perhaps from the whole room. It was perfect, the only thing missing being Eric, and maybe Daryl read his thoughts because he chose that moment to break away again.

"I...we shouldn't...," Daryl muttered out of breath. "I need ta hear Eric say it, too...before we...."

"Yeah, I understand," Aaron replied, reluctantly disentangling himself from the hunter. "We should probably switch the light off and try to get some sleep anyway." He smiled when Daryl leaned in to sneak one last kiss. 

They turned off the lamp and settled in for the night. Daryl took first watch like usual. They were pretty safe, most of the herd had passed, but you could never be too careful nowadays. The next morning, they made their way back to where they parked their vehicles and headed home to their boyfriend.

 

**Eric**

By Aaron and Daryl's third scouting trip, Eric was much more comfortable with the idea of his boys being gone for several days at a time. He still didn't like being left behind, but he understood that it had to be done. They all had to make sacrifices.

However, watching them leave this time had his anxiety level ratcheting up to ten. He spent the whole time running through possible scenarios to Aaron and Daryl's conversation about them. Of course that was predicated on the assumption that Aaron didn't chicken out.

He almost wished he hadn't told him to do it alone. It was a big moment in their relationship, even if Daryl turned them down, and he wanted to be a part of it. Deep down, though, he knew this way was best. He didn't want Daryl to feel overwhelmed or outnumbered, and Aaron would be better at keeping a stoic face if things didn't go the way they hoped.

Chores helped to keep his hands and mind preoccupied, but they'd both drift to interesting places when thoughts of the two of them would weasel their way in. They hadn't exactly specified whether Aaron would sleep with Daryl or not, but he figured the whole 'you can have him first' talk was Eric giving him permission. 

That was the only thing that bothered him, and he hadn't anticipated it to. He was sure there would be times when they paired up in varies configurations, but it was just that he wanted to share their first time together as a trio. But if they got caught up in the moment, he wouldn't hold it against them. 

Eric was out in the backyard tending to the little herb garden he had started when he heard the rumbling of Daryl's motorcycle drawing near. He pushed himself up and went inside. They found him washing the dirt off his hands in the kitchen sink when they appeared from the garage, both of them grinning like maniacs, and he figured that was a good sign.

Aaron hung back half a step after dropping his bag at the door so it was Daryl who reached him first. He was expecting a hug, but then there were two rough hands curling around his neck and the feel of a warm mouth on his, and he absolutely went weak in the knees as their lips opened up to explore each other for the very first time.

One of Daryl's hands slid around to the back of his head as he titled his to deepen the kiss, Eric's hands finding purchase on those amazing biceps as he held himself up the best he could. When Daryl pulled back, he didn't dare open his eyes, but he did whine a little at the loss.

But a familiar pair of lips took their place as Aaron kissed him too, just as deep and as passionate, the taste of both of them mingling on his tongue when the other man finally pulled back. He'd been waiting his whole life for that, for them. 

When he gained the courage to open his eyes, the sight he saw before him was nearly as spectacular as the kisses he had just experienced. Aaron and Daryl both had an arm wrapped around him but also one around each other, and they were caught up in their own scorching kiss. Lost to the world, and that was hotter than anything he'd ever seen.

Aaron's lips fell down the hunter's neck leaving Daryl to catch his eye. The hand on the back of his neck pulled him in, and once again he found himself getting lost in the heat and all encompassing want that was Daryl's mouth. Then, it was the hunter's lips on his neck and Aaron's tongue tangoing with his.

After a few minutes, he wasn't sure whose lips and hands were whose, but that didn't matter, they all belong to him now, his boys, and he to them. He finally managed to get ahold of himself enough to finally speak after clearing the lumps of lust and emotion from his throat.

"So, how'd it go?" he teased.

"Thought it was pretty self-explanatory, but if you need more convincing, we can arrange that," Aaron smiled back before placing a series of open mouthed kissed on his jawline, Daryl mirroring him on the other side, and for just a second he forgot how to speak.

"Did you two...."

"Nah, wanted ta wait for ya," Daryl replied. He straightened up to look him in the eye. "Jus' needed ta make sure...not that I don't trust 'im," he added, nodding to Aaron who laughed softly in his ear before straightening up himself.

"Are you guys hungry? I could make you something to eat," Eric asked, hoping they both had something else in mind entirely.

"We're not really hungry right now, Er. In fact, we were thinking about going upstairs, crawling in bed, and taking a nap," Aaron replied, shooting Daryl a wink and getting a half smirk in return.

"Well, don't let me keep you," he fake pouted.

"Unless o' course ya had somethin' better in mind," Daryl said, raising a brow inquisitively.

"You are the idea man," Aaron added.

Yes, he was. Eric grinned mischievously at them and grabbed them both by the hand. "I'm sure I can think of something," he casually replied as he led them over to the stairs. 

And up they went.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thus ends part one. Don't know when I'll get started on part two, but it's going to start off where this one ends. And if you can't wait for some smut in this universe, check out [Backs Against the Wall](http://archiveofourown.org/works/3832951) if you missed it.
> 
> *I left out the dialog between Aaron and Daryl that I already covered in "Used". Not sure if that was a good move or not, but if it felt like they started mid-conversation, it was because they did.
> 
> **UPDATE: I will not be adding anymore to the series. Sorry, but I've just lost interest.


End file.
